Tool



Feb. 17, 1948.

R. E. SLATER 2,43 6,336

TOOL

.F'iled Jan. 18, 1944 L az INVENTOR LATER acsasae gage the shouldered hole ls. and a reduced threaded portion I'l at its other end to engage the threaded hole 14. In the transverse top of the yoke section there is provided a pocket I8 in axial alignment with the axis of the handle shaft o. The upper end of the handle shaft is provided With a transverse hole IS to receive a turning rod 20, as shown in Fig. 2, this rod being usually inserted when the wrench is adapted for operation as a T-wrench, as will presently more fully appear.

The wrench shaft comprises a work-engaging lower square part 2l extending axially down:

with the handle and wrench shafts permits the wardly from an enlargement 22 provided with an;

upper yoke section comprising a pair of spaced to permit interlocking engagement of one yoke section with the other. This yoke section of the wrench shaft is substantially identical with the yoke section of the handle shaft, being provided in the respective leg portions with a shouldered hole 24 and a threaded hole 25 for receiving a cross pin 26 having a shouldered head end 21 and a reduced threaded end 28. In the transverse base of the yoke section there is provided a socket 29 in axial alignment with the square part 2l. The work-engaging square part 2] is adapted for engagement with the socket end of aboit or the like for the purpose of turning the latter and it will be obvious that it may be of hexagonal or other suitable shape, and also that in its place the end of the wrench shaft may have a socket formation of suitable shape to receive the head of a bolt or the like. As the wrench shaft is detachable with respect tc the other parts of the wrench a number of wrench shafts forengaging different types and sizes of bolts may be provided to be interchangeably connected .to the wrench.

The joint member for connecting the handle.

and the wrench shafts comprises an elongated block member 30 of square cross section provided in its upper half with an elongated transversely extending slot 3l through which the cross pin l5 of the handle shaft is' engaged, and in its lower half with an elongated transversely extending slot 32, extending at right angles to the slot.

aa, and through which the cross pin 26 of the wrench shaft is engaged. These slots correspond in width to the diameters of the cross pins, and are of such length as to permit limited movement of the block member with respect to the cross pins. At its upper and lower ends the block mem ber is provided with pin formations 33 and 34 adapted to respectively engage within the sockets l8 and 29 of the handle and wrench shafts, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the length of the block member being such that in the engaged relation of the pin formations inthe two Sockets the cross pins 15 and 26 are engaged in the adjacent ends of the slots 3! and 321. ln this relation the handle shaft is rigidly connected to the wrench shaft in axial alignment therewith' and'consequently. may be operated in a similar manner to a T-Wrench.

By disengaglng the pin formation 34 from the socket 29 of the wrench shaft, through longitudinal movement of the block member, the handle shaft may be hingedly moved with respect to '16 and opposed leg portions 23-23, the spacing of these leg portions substantially corresponding to the width of the leg portions of the handle shaft.

a confined space in the manner of rigid interlockingof the handle and wrench shafts in an angular position of the handle shaft, the yoke section of one shaft being engaged within the yoke section of the other. Consequently turning strain is imposed mainly upon the yoke sections with a minimum of direct strain upon the connecting cross pins. The arrangement also permits the handle shaft to be swung back to a given angular position following each quarter turn of the wrench shaft in either direction, so that the wrench may be operated within a ratchet wrench.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the positions of the handle and wrench shafts with the block member rigidly connected to the handle shaft and a: with the yoke portion of the handle shaft enposition,

- ber, so that the'turning axis of the handle drawings anddescribed herein is typical gaged within the yoke portion of the wrench shaft. Fig. 6 shows the wrench shaft turned 90 from the position as shown in Fig. 4, and with the handle shaft in the same relatve angular the block member being rigidly connected in axially aligned relation with the wrench shaft andthe yoke end of the wrench shaft being engaged within the yoke end of the handle shaft.

In Fig. 7 the wrench is illustrated in another position of adjustment wherein the block "member is turned at a right angle to the axis of the wrench shaft and the handle shaft is turned into angular relation with respect to the block memshaft i s offset from the turning axis of the wrench shaft. Upon applying turning pressure to the handle shaft the side of the yoke section of the handle shaft is brought against the side of the yoke section of the wrench shaft and turning movement is applied to the wrench shaft through the horizontal link connection provided by the block member.

The form of the invention illustrated 'in the and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A universal wrench comprising a handle shafthaving a yoke end, a wrench shaft having a yoke end, a connecting irl said yoke ends, 'a pivot pin pivotally connecting one of said yoke ends to said block member. a pivot pin disposed at a right angle to said first pivot pin and connecting said other yoke end to said block member in longitudinally spaced relation to said first pivot pin, said block mem ber'having a pair of longitudinally spaced lonthe wrench shaft, the block member moving with the handle shaft. By disengaging the upper pin formation 33 from the sccket'ls of the handle 1 gitudinally extending slots disposed at right angles to each other respectively engaged by said pivot pins and permitting relative rectilinear movement of said block member with respect to 7 the pivotal axes of said pivot pins, said yoke ends being adapted tc be interchangeably engaged block member engaged l amassc with each other, the sides of the handle yoke within the wrench yoke or the sides of the wrench yoke within the handle yoke, through relative rectilinear movement of said pins in said slots and relative angular movement of one of said shaft members with respect to the other.

2. A universal wrench comprising a handle shaft, a wrench shaft, means for rigidly connecting said handle shaft and wrench shaft in any one of a plurality of relative angular positions comprising a yoke associated with each of said shafts, a pivot associated with each yoke, and a connecting block including a pair of elongated slot-like pivot apertures disposed at right angles to each other adapted to receive the pivots of said yokes respectively, the sides of each of said yokes being adapted to be embraced by the other yoke in a plurality of interchangeable motion transmitting connections.

3. A universal wrench comprising a handle shaft, a wrench shaft, means for rigidly connecting said handle shaft and wrench shaft in any one of a plurality of relatve angular positions comprising a yoke associated with each of said shafts, a pivot associated with each yoke,-

and a connecting block including a pair of elongated slot-like pivot apertures disposed at right angles to each other adapted to receive the pivots of said yokes respectively, the parts being movable on said pivots to one position ln which the handle yoke embraces the sides of the wrench yoke in a motion transmitting connection, and to a second position in which the sides of the handle yoke are embraced in the wrench yoke in a motion transmitting connection.

4. A universal wrench comprising a handle shaft, a wrench shaft, means for rigidly connecting said handle shaft and wrench shaft in any one of a plurality of relatve angular positions comprising a yoke associated With each of said shafts, a pivot associated with each yoke, and a connecting block including a pair of elongated slot-like pivot apertures disposed at right angles to each other adapted to receive the pivots of said yokes respectively, the parts being movable on said pivots to one position in which the handle yoke embraces the sides of the wrench yoke ln a. motion transmitting connection, and to a second position in which the sides of the handle yoke are embraced in the wrench yoke in a motion transmitting connection, and'to a third position in which aligned margins of the sides of the handle yoke engage the margin of one side of the wrench yoke.

5. A universal wrench comprising a wrench shaft terminating in a yoke, a handle shaft terminating in a yoke, a pivot associated with each o-f said yokes, and a connecting block embraced by said yokes and including a pair of elongated slot-like apertures disposed at right angles to each other receiving said pivots with capacity for relatve pivotal and rectilinear movement thereof, the arms of each yoke being of such width in a direction normai to the pivot associated therewith as to be capable of being embraced by the arms of the other yoke and the length of the arms of each yoke extending beyond the pivot and the length of the slots giving capacity for rectilinear movement of the pivots sufficient to permit the embrace of the arms of each yoke to extend over a substantial length of the arms of the other yoke to establish a positive motion transmitting connection.

RAYMOND E. SLATER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 78,571 Bronson June 2, 1868 348,565 Mandeville Sept. 7, 1886 699,904 Warren May 13, 1902 777,727 Hansen Dec. 20, 1904 1,468,771 Arnold Sept. 25, 1923 1,975,695 Lund Oct. 2, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 840,074 7 r France Jan. 11, 1939 

